Toko Irie

Toko Irie

Toko Irie, originally from Grenada, has been jamming island music in Key West for the past 15 years. He is best known for playing the steel drums with an artistic sense of speed combined with a unique 3-stick method of playing. Introduced to the pan at the age of 9, Toko Irie honed his skills on an old steel drum given to him by a pan maker who lived in his village. At age 14, he formed a group with his brother and his cousin and they had the opportunity to compete annually against the island’s best in the Carnival competitions. An age 19, he became the musical director for a 40piece steel pan group who performed around the island as well as on cruise ships.